The invention relates to a hydraulic transmitting device for vehicles, in particular, for vehicles steered by handlebars, comprising a housing with a hydraulic master cylinder, in which a displaceable piston is arranged, an actuating lever movable relative to the housing and a push rod transferring movement of the actuating lever to the piston, wherein the push rod is supported on the actuating lever, wherein the push rod is adjustable in the direction of the longitudinal axis as a result of rotation about this axis and wherein the push rod can be secured in specific rotary positions around the longitudinal axis by means of a locking device.
Hydraulic transmitting devices of this type are known from the state of the art, for example, DE 44 08 741 A1.
The known solution does, however, have the disadvantage that its assembly is complicated.
The object underlying the invention is, therefore, to create a hydraulic transmitting device, with which the assembly thereof is less complicated.
This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention, in a hydraulic transmitting device of the type described at the outset, in that the locking device comprises a locking element, that the locking element has at least one locking vane and that the at least one locking vane abuts with a locking surface on a locking section of the push rod, which deviates from a circular cross section, in a flexible manner and acted upon by a force.
The advantage of the solution according to the invention is to be seen in the fact that, with it, the locking device is of a very simple design and easy to assemble since the locking element can be mounted in a simple manner as a uniform subassembly.
One embodiment of the solution according to the invention provides for the push rod to be accommodated in an internal thread of the locking device with a threaded section.
With this solution, the locking device can be rotatable altogether relative to the lever as long as the rotary position of the push rod relative to the internal thread of the locking device is maintained by the locking element since, in this case, there is no adjustment of the push rod in the direction of its longitudinal axis.
With respect to the rotation of the push rod in order to adjust this in the direction of the longitudinal axis, it is, however, favorable when the locking device is connected non-rotatably to the lever since, as a result, any co-rotation of the locking device during the rotation of the push rod can be prevented in a simple manner.
Another, advantageous solution provides for the push rod to be accommodated in an internal thread of a bearing member with a threaded section.
In this respect, it is particularly favorable for the support of the push rod on the actuating lever when the push rod is supported on the actuating lever by the bearing member.
In order to prevent any rotation of the push rod relative to the bearing member having the internal thread in an advantageous manner, it is preferably provided for the locking device to comprise a locking element which is connected non-rotatably to the bearing member so that the push rod can be secured relative to the bearing member in specific rotary positions around the longitudinal axis.
In this respect, the unit consisting of locking element and bearing member could be freely rotatable relative to the lever.
It is, however, particularly favorable when the bearing member or the locking element or both are connected non-rotatably to the lever.
With respect to the design of the locking element, different possibilities are conceivable.
One advantageous solution, for example, provides for the locking element to be designed so as to engage essentially around the locking section.
With respect to the number of locking vanes, no further details have so far been given. It is, in principle, sufficient to provide one locking vane.
It is particularly favorable when the locking element has several locking vanes.
The several locking vanes are preferably designed such that they abut on the locking section at several areas located at a distance from one another in circumferential direction.
One particularly favorable solution provides for the locking section to be located between two locking vanes.
In this respect, the locking vanes are preferably designed in the shape of shells in order to be able to accommodate the locking section between them.
One inexpensive solution provides for each locking vane to be designed as a partial section of a one-piece locking element member forming the locking element so that a locking element of this type can be produced particularly simply and, therefore, inexpensively.
In this case, the locking vanes are preferably designed such that they are fixed radially on a retaining area of the locking element member facing the bearing member and can be elastically moved radially to the longitudinal axis of the push rod with an end facing away from the bearing member.
Another, advantageous solution provides for the locking element to comprise at least one locking vane and a support area supporting it.
In this respect, the locking vane is preferably not integrally formed on a locking element member in one piece but rather designed such that the locking vane is an arm of a U-shaped spring clip.
With respect to the design of the locking section in detail, no further particulars have so far been given.
In general, the locking section can be designed such that it has radially projecting areas and between them areas which are set back radially.
In the simplest case, the radially projecting areas are formed by edges.
With respect to the areas which are set back radially, no further details have likewise been given. For example, the areas set back radially can be recesses which extend between the radially projecting areas, i.e., for example, the edges.
In the simplest case, the areas set back radially are, however, designed as flat sides of the locking section.
One particularly simple solution provides for the locking section to be designed in cross section as a polygon.
With respect to the connection between the locking element and the bearing member, no details have so far been given. One solution, for example, provides for the locking element to be securely connected to the bearing member, for example, by means of a form locking or a force locking connection.
One expedient embodiment provides for the bearing member to be inserted into a receiving means, for example, a receiving sleeve of the locking element.
It is, however, also conceivable to design the bearing member as an integral part of the locking sleeve.
One simple solution provides for the locking element to be designed so as to interlock with the bearing member.
In this case, the locking element is designed, for example, such that it has retaining clips interlockable with the bearing member.
In this respect, the retaining clips are preferably designed such that they engage around the bearing member on the circumferential side.
In conjunction with the preceding description of the individual embodiments, no further details have been given concerning the arrangement of the bearing member relative to the actuating lever.
One advantageous solution provides for the bearing member to be guided in a non-rotational manner in relation to the actuating lever so that the bearing member cannot turn relative to the actuating lever during the rotation of the push rod for the purpose of displacing it.
Furthermore, no further details have been given concerning the mounting of the bearing member on the actuating lever itself in conjunction with the preceding explanations concerning the individual embodiments.
In order to obtain an adequate path of movement for the displacement of the push rod for the actuation of the piston it is preferably provided for the bearing member to be supported on a pressure arm of the actuating lever.
Furthermore, it is preferably provided for the bearing member to be supported on the pressure arm so as to be pivotable so that the bearing member has the possibility of altering its alignment relative to the pressure arm when the piston is actuated.
Such a pivotable mounting of the bearing member may be realized in the most varied of ways.
One possibility provides for the bearing member to be mounted on the pressure arm by at least one rotary bearing.
An alternative solution for this provides for the bearing member to be supported on a guide surface of the pressure arm.
The support of the bearing member on the guide surface can facilitate an adequate degree of freedom for a pivoting movement of the bearing member and, therefore, of the push rod.
It is, however, particularly advantageous when the bearing member is guided in a non-rotational manner on the pressure arm by a guide element engaging on the pressure arm so that it is possible with this guide element to realize the pivotable arrangement of the bearing member relative to the pressure arm, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, to still secure the bearing member non-rotatably relative to the pressure arm in an adequately defined manner.
The guide element may be designed in the most varied of ways.
One solution which is particularly simple from a constructional point of view provides for the guide element to be guided on an outer surface of the pressure arm.
In order to ensure a defined pivoting movement by the guide element, it is provided, in addition, for the outer surface of the pressure arm to be designed as a guide surface cylindrical in relation to an axis so that a pivoting movement of the bearing member relative to the axis can be realized by the outer surface in conjunction with the guide element.
A further, advantageous embodiment of the transmitting device according to the invention provides for the locking element to have a receiving means for a protective bellows.
In this respect, it is preferably provided for a retaining ring of the protective bellows, which is radially elastic and can be fixed on the locking element, to act on the locking vanes in the direction of the locking section.
The retaining ring is expediently arranged such that it engages on the locking element in an end area facing away from the bearing member.
Additional features and advantages of the solution according to the invention are the subject matter of the following description as well as the drawings illustrating several embodiments.